LearnPlatform Named As One of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company

K-12 evidence-based innovator LearnPlatform, part of the Instructure Learning Platform, attributes diversity of team and culture in ranking 38th on the annual list

Raleigh, NC (March 2, 2023) — LearnPlatform, now part of the Instructure family and renowned for its innovative edtech effectiveness system trusted by districts, state agencies and their partners serving ten million students, has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023, ranking #2 under the Education category and #38 overall.

This year’s list honors 540 organizations across 54 sectors and regions that are setting the standard with some of the greatest accomplishments of the modern world. Fast Company ranks businesses across the globe that are making an outsized impact and reshaping their organizations, industries and the broader culture. This year’s honorees are at the forefront of their respective industries, paving the way for the innovations of tomorrow.

“LearnPlatform is honored to be recognized by Fast Company for its innovative evidence-based solutions and services that empower informed education decision-making to drive academic and financial returns on investments,” said Karl Rectanus, co-founder of LearnPlatform, and SVP of K-12 Strategy at Instructure. "This recognition is a testament to the LearnPlatform team's commitment to expanding equitable access for all students to the teaching and technology that works best for them. A diverse team, with an inclusive culture that is on an urgent mission, drives the best innovation in the world.”

LearnPlatform prioritizes diversity of all kinds in its leadership team and across its growing teams to benefit company culture, innovation and environment. The company's commitments have translated to higher diversity with nearly 25% of people of color making up the organization, which is well above the industry average and peer companies. Company-wide, 60% of its employees identify as female, including nearly 54% representation among LearnPlatform’s leadership team.

Furthermore, the inclusive company culture has resulted in LearnPlatform trailblazing the evidence-as-a-service marketplace for the education industry. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) mandates that learning solutions purchased with federal funding are evidence-based. To date, over 60 edtech providers at every stage of growth and size subscribe to LearnPlatform’s Evidence-as-a-Service, a tiered subscription to build ESSA-aligned evidence for more than 80 solutions, demonstrating that there is both demand and need for high-quality, rapid and cost-effective evidence.

Since 2015, LearnPlatform has run over 1,200 rapid-cycle evaluations on specific edtech solutions directly with its district partners, saving millions of dollars and increasing the speed of decision-making by more than 85 percent. Just last year, LearnPlatform launched ESSA Evidence Badges™  which have quickly become a staple for education. Designed in consultation with the U.S. Department of Education and its research arm, the Institute of Education Sciences, the shareable badges and reports enable education organizations and providers to show, grow and share trustworthy, certified evidence. 
“We couldn’t be more excited for this recognition,” said Steve Daly, CEO of Instructure, which acquired LearnPlatform in December 2022. “It’s a natural fit with our mission to elevate student success by amplifying the power of teaching and inspiring everyone to learn together. LearnPlatform is a key part of the future of the Instructure Learning Platform, giving our customers and partners more ways to measure the impact of their investments and drive student outcomes.” 

The World’s Most Innovative Companies is Fast Company’s signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. Judged by Fast Company's editors and writers, the selections for 2023 sought to identify the most groundbreaking businesses across the globe and industries. The magazine is available on newsstands on March 14, 2023. 

For more information about LearnPlatform and empowering decision-making with evidence for education, please visit: www.learnplatform 

About LearnPlatform

LearnPlatform, an education technology company dedicated to expanding equitable access to all students, was acquired by Instructure in December 2022.  LearnPlatform’s comprehensive edtech effectiveness system and evidence-as-a-service solutions of the same name are used by educators, leaders and their partners to modernize their learning environments and drive academic and financial returns on their investments. The research-based technology equips school districts, state agencies, philanthropic organizations and providers to ensure their edtech interventions and investments are safe, equitable, cost-efficient and effective for all students. For more information, visit learnplatform.com.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.